The Four Aces: Ace of Hearts
by Alerya
Summary: Part 1 of a 4 part series, based on the life of Ashley Lotti, The Ace of Hearts in her teenaged game. Watch her overcome a Romeo and Juliet farytail story while still surviving math homework and evil social workers.
1. Prolouge

**Title: **The Four Aces: The Ace of Hearts

**Author: **Alerya Song

**Summary: **Four girls from Las Vegas have been friends for years. Naming their group after a popular hotel/casino on the Vegas strip, the girls vowed to do everything together, including taking down a rival group of boys. The girls named themselves "The Four Aces" and each was named after a different suit. The Ace of Diamonds was Natalie Andrews: a well dressed, preppy, down to earth, rich girl who's father owns half the casinos in Vegas. The Ace of Spades: Julia Strobel: a tough, loud, and quick to action who may sometimes have a bad reputation. The Ace of Clubs: Emma Dewit: even though sometimes the last to catch the joke, she was the most trust worthy of the four, and could always be found with her softball bat, ready for her game. And Lastly, The Ace of Hearts: Ashley Lotti, a quite girl with a broken family and a damaged past who's just trying to get to the next day with a smile on her face. Follow the Four Aces on their adventures that test their trust, loyality, bravery, heart, and friendship.

**Rating:** PG to PG-13

**Author Note:** I know its not really a cross over of anything, and it's not a fanfiction either, but still read and enjoy it, i wanna know what y'all think.

**The Four Aces:**

**The Ace of Hearts**

**Prologue **

In the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, there is a hotel. It towers high over its neighboring casinos and its flashy, neon lights could be seen for miles.

Atop this high-rising building is its logo: A bright neon glow of a hand of four Ace cards; each representing not only the hotel in itself, but of four of the most important cards in a game.

The Ace of Hearts: A heart can be one's strength or one's weakness, depending on how it's played. If worn on a sleeve, it can be easily captured. A heart is proven with strategy, cunning, and just a little faith.

But even the most sheltered of hearts can fail…


	2. The Chase

**Chapter One:**

**The Chase**

The sound of footsteps hurrying behind her just made Ashley want to run faster. She turned sharply in an ally way and hid behind a dumpster, trying to control her breath as the footsteps hurried to a stop near the ally entrance. Ashley strained her ears to listen to their conversation.

"Dude, Seth, we lost her," the first voice panted.

"Quiet Matt, I'm listening," Seth warned. Ashley held a hand over her mouth to keep her own panting to a minimum.

"I don't hear nothin'," Ashley recognized Dom's voice.

"Yea, me neither," Andy scowled. "I'm hungry…"

"Can we focus boys?" The other three murmured in agreement. "Good, now let's find that Ace so we can get…" Seth suddenly stopped at the sound of a cell phone.

Ashley's cell phone.

"Shit!" She yelled and jumped up. The boys were already running down the ally way. The only way out was up for Ashley; so that's exactly what she did. She climbed the fire escape, simultaneously answering her phone.

"Hello?" she puffed as she reached the fifth flight.

"_Ashley? It's Luke, is everything alright_?" _Great timing Luke_, Ashley thought as she reached the roof.

"Yea bro, everything just dandy," she told her brother. "You know, Luke, this is kinda a bad time, can I call you back?"

"Well, actually…"

"Thanks Lukie, talk to you later, bye!" and she hung up, stuffing it into the bag on her back. Just then, she heard someone else talking to her.

"Cummon Ace, hand it over," Andy said holding out his hand. Andrew Olsen was about six foot, with sandy blonde hair that was glued to his head. He was well built, a result from being on both the wrestling and football team. He wasn't the smartest of the four boys that were chasing her either, which right now came to Ashley's advantage.

"Is _that _the best argument you can give me, Andrew," She laughed. "I thought that, being the King of Hearts and all, you were supposed to be good at negotiating with your enemys." She swung the bag teasingly from her fist.

"It takes more than negotiation to be a King," Andy snarled. Ashley nodded. She was the Ace of Hearts after all.

"Right, I forgot about how much of a lady's man you were as well," she smirked.

"Just hand it over Ash, so I don't gotta bring Dom or Seth up her…" Ashley stiffened slightly. Dom was the King of Clubs and Seth was the King of Spades. They were the fighters of their gang. Not that Ashley wasn't a fighter, but Dom and Seth were both know to have a weapon on them at times.

"Aw, you don't wanna do that Andy; callin' in back up. That's weakness bro. What? You can't take a girl like me?" Ashley smirked sweetly, slowly backing up to the edge. "What's so important about this bag anyway?"

"It's our shit!" Andy yelled. Ashley rolled her eyes. Well, if _that's_ the best he can do...

"Sorry to kill your buzz, but I _really don't _feel like handing this over, so imma jump, 'ight?" Ashley pointed over her shoulder.

"You wouldn't…" Andy said. Ashley grinned wickedly.

"Oh ye of little faith," she winked and jumped off the building. She grabbed onto the drainpipe and slid down, sprinting once her feet touched the pavement.

She didn't slow down until she reached the strip. With all the hustle and bustle of casinos and tourists, the Kings wouldn't dare jump her. She was safe for now…

Ashley walked, taking in the excitement of the city life. _There's no city like Vegas,_ she thought.

She turned into a hotel/casino on the corner. The Four Aces glowed brightly above her as she walked through the sliding doors.

A hand flew out right in front of her. "Stop right there!"

"Must we _always_ go through this Christopher?" Ashley glared at the guard.

"No underage personal in the casino." Chris said. Ashley looked at him in disbelief, but Chris didn't let up.

"Chris Andrews…" Ashley sighed. "I'm with Natalie Andrews, your sister, remember?"

"Proof?" Chris asked. Ashley's jaw dropped.

"_Proof_? Proof OTHER than the fact you've known me since I was eight years old!" Just then, Ashley saw a blonde teenaged girl at the entrance to the hotel. "Natalie!" Ashley called. The blonde ran over to the two.

"Hey Ash!" she smiled. "What's wrong?"

"Chris won't let me in!" Ashley groaned. Natalie rolled her eyes at her older brother.

"Chris you idiot! You take the job Daddy gave you _way_ too seriously," Natalie hit her brother on the back of the head, giggling as she led Ashley to the elevators. "Julia and Emma are already upstairs." Then, though she didnt have to since they were the only two in the elevator, she lowered her voice to a whisper, "Did you get it?" Ashley smiled widely and pulled the bag of her back, shaking the contents inside.

"Did you ever doubt me?" Ashley asked. Natalie squealed and hugged Ashley tight.

The elevator doors opened to the pent house. "They're in my room, come on," Natalie said and the two walked down the long hall to her room. It always amazed Ashley how big Nat's room was since it was about two times the size of her entire house. _I guess having your dad own half the casinos in Vegas pays off_, Ashley thought. She walked in and found Emma and Julia over by the CD player. Julia at the moment was jumping up and down to the musical styles of ACDC, her flaming red hair flying everywhere.

Ashley laughed at the sight of her friend and walked up behind her. "Enjoying the music Julia?" the red-head jumped in fright and pulled out the knife in her pocket, aiming it inches from Ashley's throat. Ashley sighed, forgetting even after 8 years of friendship how edgy Julia could be.

"Spades, I've told ya a million times. Therapy," Ashley said shortly as she eyed the sharp, metal blade.

"Sorry," Julia shrugged. "Bad habit," She lowered the knife and turned off the boom box. Emma, who had her eyes closed and was bobbing her head to the music, looked up angrily.

"Hey! That's the best part!" Emma yelled from her chair. Then she saw Ash. "Oh, hey, did you get it?" Emma asked. Ashley threw the bag on the floor, high five-ing Emma.

"Yea, yea, I got it," Ash smiled, opening the bag and dumping the contents on the floor. Hundreds and hundreds of poker chips poured onto the floor.

"That's a good couple thousand dollars in chips!" Emma said, fingering the plastic coins.

"Should be; the King's stole them from my daddy's casino's." Nat scowled.

"What do you think they were going to do with them?" Julia asked, eyeing one of the blue chips closely.

"Sell them on the strip," Ashley suggested. "Though, I don't think they'd do well seeing as Andy's little plans are getting worse everyday." The group laughed. Suddenly, an intercom crackled to life.

"_Ms. Andrews? Ms. Strobel's father is here to retrieve her,"_ Natalie jumped up to answer it.

"Thanks Johnathon," she said.

Julia stood up and grabbed her bag. "Cummon, Em, I'll give you a ride home," she said.

"Okay, by guys! See you tomorrow!" Emma and Julia left, leaving the Ace of Hearts and the Ace of Diamonds.

"You want to clean up before you go home?" Nat asked, eyeing her friend's demeanor. Ashley turned to the mirror and realized why Christopher wouldn't let her in. She looked like hell. Her long brown hair was falling out of its tie, her clothes were covered in who-knows-what, and there was a big spot of dirt around one of her green eyes.

"Sure, thanks Nat," Ashley smiled at her best friend.

"I'll call Daddy's driver to bring you home," Natalie said, picking up her cell. Ashley nodded and headed to the bathroom.

When she got out, Ashley took her usual spot by the wide window that over looked all of Vegas. She watched as the city that never sleeps twinkled in the night life.

"Ms. Lotti, I am to drive you home…" A man in a driver's uniform said. Ashley nodded and followed him to the elevator. She had a whole twenty minutes to make up an excuse for Luke as to why she was an hour (and twenty minutes) passed curfew.


	3. One Last Chance

**Chapter Two:**

**One Last Chance**

The limo pulled up in front of Ashley's house in Henderson. She thanked the driver and hurried into the house.

"I'm home!" She announced, dropping her jacket by the front door. A cocker spaniel bounded down the stairs. "Hey Jazz!" Ashley squealed. "Where's Luke?" The puppy yelped and ran down the hall to the kitchen. Ashley followed, finding her brother sitting at the table…

…with a woman.

"Oh, um..." Ashley stuttered. "Did I…"

"No, actually, we're waiting for you," the woman said politely. Ashley raised an eyebrow at her brother who seemed quite angry, something that didn't happen with her older brother often.

"For the past hour and a half actually," Luke growled. Ashley was severely confused.

"I'm Mrs. Hennacy, I'm a social worker for Clark County…" the woman held out her hand. Ashley shook it briefly. Her hands were cold as ice!

"Social worker?" Ashley asked looking at her brother.

"Apparently, you've been in some trouble lately, Ash," Luke said, holding up a file folder. Ashley winced, reading the stress and dissapointment in Luke's face. She hated stressing Lukie out.

"Trouble?" Ashley asked innocently, "What kind of trouble?"

"Well, Mr. David Lopez has filed a few complaints with you regarding his son…" Ashley grabbed to file from her brother.

"Matt," she growled under her breath. Matt, the King of Diamonds, was a sixteen year old baby. If anyone from the Kings was going to complain to the cops about her, it was going to be Matt Lopez, who's father owned a fair amount of casinos in Vegas (though, not as many as the Andrews family.)

"Yes, now these complaints have been taken care of, but I do believe your agreement about your living arrangements has been altered." Mrs. Hannacy cut straight to the chase.

"Altered? How?" Ashley's eyes widened; she knew what was comming, and it wasn't good.

"Well, the original agreement was that you could live with Lucas as long as you both stay out of trouble…"

"So one fight and you want to take me away?" Ashley stood up, but Luke pushed her back in her seat.

"It's not just one fight Ms. Lotti…"

"Ashley." Ashley corrected Mrs. Hennacy; Ms. Lotti was what they would call her mother.

"Ashley. It's been several fights with Matthew Lopez and his friends! Also, there are claims of thievery, roaming the casinos while underage, disturbing the peace…Ashley, there are many accounts against you…"

"Ashley's best friend Natalie lives in a casino," Luke said quickly. "She has to walk through the casino to get to Natalie's. It's not as if she's placing a bet at the blackjack tables or anything." Luke pointed at the papers. "_Roaming_ the casino isn't illegal." Mrs. Hennacy made a note and nodded.

"That's something I'll look into..." the social worker said, her voice sounding as if she couldn't seriously give a damn.

Ashley stood up in fury, pushing her seat away and storming toward the door. "You know what?" she yelled, turning back to her brother and the social worker. "David Lopez is one of the biggest casino owners in Vegas. He only filed these complaints because he is against the Andrews family, who are friends of mine. And since the Andrews' can pay anything off, and there is no dirt to get on Julia and Emma because they seem to be perfectly stable, the only _logical_ choice is to pick on Ashley! The poor, sweet girl whose parents are dead! Why pick on her? Because no one gives a damn about her!" and with that, Ashley turned on her heals and ran upstairs, Jazz barking at her heels, before Luke and Mrs. Hennacy could see her cry.

It was another hour before Ashley heard a knock at the door. "Go away!" she yelled from the seat by the window. Apparently in "Luke-Lingo", this meant 'cummon in! Make yourself at home!' because her older brother walked in and stood in the doorway.

"Hey babe," he sighed, watching his little sister.

"Are you mentally challenged? I said get out!" Ashley threw a pillow that she was holding at Luke and hugged her knees to her chest, her tears comming faster and faster.

"Ash…" Luke said calmly. She looked over to him. His eyes were bloodshot and his hands were shaking. She knew he was just as scarred about being separated as she was. "We got a by this time kid," Luke said. He sat down by his sister and ran his hand through her long brown hair. "I've done my part Ash. I did exactly what the court told me to do. I got a job, I send you to school, I pay for food and the house…" Luke trailed off. "I need you to do your part."

"I don't want to _have_ a part Luke! I want to be a normal teenager! I don't want to have to be a model citizen everytime social services wants to have a go at the Lotti siblings! I want…" Ashley sighed and leaned against the window. "I want Mom and Dad back." Luke pulled his baby sister into a hug.

"I miss them too Ash," He said. The two siblings sat in silence for a moment before Luke sat back and asked his dieing question. "So, this whole Lopez thing…It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with…" Luke tapped Ashley's ankle. Ashley rolled down her sock to show a small tattoo of a heart on her ankle with a bold black **A** in the center. She blushed. "ASHLEY! I swear to god..."

"I didn't do anything illegal, yet…" Ashley protested. "Honest! I just ran away from the Kings and jumped off a roof." She said quickly. Luke fell onto the floor. "No big Lukie…" Luke's eyebrows were in danger of being lost in the dark brown forest on top of his head. "And most of the stuff _Mrs. I'm-better-than-you_ read off was shit Matt made up to complain to his Daddy!"

Luke held up his hand. "I don't care what Matt Lopez or his father do, but you and I, Ashley, have one chance. One. If we screw that up, it's over. No more 'next-time-will-be-better' okay?" Ashley nodded. "You're sixteen, not thirty, Ash. When you're thirty, you can make your own decisions and beat up whoever the hell you want…"

"Then who makes your decisions because you're only twenty-five." Ashley cracked a smile at her brother's poor math skills.

"You know what…shut up!" Luke yelled, pulling Ashley into a tight headlock.

"Urgh…Luke…leggo!" Ashley grumbled as the Lotti siblings wrestled to the ground, laughing and having a good time like siblings should.


End file.
